Prophets and Kings

When it comes to the reading selections for daily Mass I sometimes think the first readings are on their own track, telling a story, but only it bits and pieces, starts and stops. Today we are introduced to King Ahab and the prophet Elijah. To this point the First Book of Kings has largely been recounting the stories of the Kings of Israel (in the Northern Kingdom) and the Kings of Judah (in the Southern Kingdom). Especially in the north, it is not a pretty story.  Let me share the verses immediately preceding our text: Continue reading

Answering Questions

This coming Sunday is the 11th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Lectionary Cycle B.

26 He said, “This is how it is with the kingdom of God; it is as if a man were to scatter seed on the land 27 and would sleep and rise night and day and the seed would sprout and grow, he knows not how. 28 Of its own accord the land yields fruit, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. 29 And when the grain is ripe, he wields the sickle at once, for the harvest has come.” 30 He said, “To what shall we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable can we use for it? 31 It is like a mustard seed that, when it is sown in the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on the earth. 32 But once it is sown, it springs up and becomes the largest of plants and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the sky can dwell in its shade.” 33 With many such parables he spoke the word to them as they were able to understand it. 34 Without parables he did not speak to them, but to his own disciples he explained everything in private.  (Mark 4:26-34)

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